Should we all email the BBC/Media??

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canteron

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As far as I can see, most of the media & BBC live in towns and don't really know a lot about horses and don't really get the concept of a horse as a valued animal - well we all know the 'interesting' (but factually weird) stories that the Daily Mail and other like to print from time to time which show how little knowledge the average journalist has about the reality of the horse world.

I also can't believe the amount of 'experts' who know even less - there was also a top government vet on the other day saying he doesn't think that the problem can be widespread because of the equine passport system.

And there seem to be a lot of rather trendy chefs/cooks saying they have eaten horse and its rather nice and why don't we all just get on and eat them regularly.

Would it be a good thing to make it clear to all these media ignorameous that actually some of us don't regard our horses as supper and that we have all been saying for ages the passport system is no use to anyone especially since the NED database was taken down.

I just think we should tell the media rather than moaning to each other?????
 
The NED was useless anyway, it was up to owners to register and didn't provide an accurate portrayal of the equine population. There are also 70 equine passport offices which is one of the problems with this industry as nothing is centralised.

To be honest, if a horse is being reared for the purpose of consumption, then fair enough. They are livestock at the end of the day and if there is a market available, it will be done.
Obviously it's different if they are being used for leisure/competition etc.
It's the same with any other livestock really. Some are bred to show and breed, others are for their produce, and the rest for consumption.

If I'm honest, I would eat horse if it were put in front I me. It's already dead after all, no point in wasting it.

Whether it be sheep/lamb, cow, deer, chicken or horse, if it is only use for its intense purpose, then I see no problem with it.
The problem I have is the deception behind it all that something is "100% beef" when is actually 100% equine.

What's happened has happened, and I've no doubt it will continue. Horse is popular in overseas countries.
 
You want to tell the media that you don't fancy the idea of eating your beloved pet pony? I think they probably realise that to be honest - it just doesn't make much of a news story ;)

Personally, I have no aversion to eating horse. Don't fancy eating my own, as I happen to enjoy their continued existence more, but that's not really the issue is it?
 
The lack of a central database is the biggest problem. Who hasn't come across a horse bought at a market with a passport three weeks old. Who knows what it was given before then?

Cattle and sheep have to have ear tags and lack of a tag is taken very seriously by the "authorities"

I too have no problems with the idea of eating horsemeat, it is just that it is not customary in the UK, just as some sections of the population do not eat pork. I agree, however, that any animal to be eaten is reared, transported and despatched with the highest levels of welfare.
 
My concern is not with the idea of eating horse-meat per se, it is the fact that in the 'mixed meat' burgers it is obvious that there has been contamination. It seems to me that the hygiene in those slaughterhouses leaves a great deal to be desired. The Findus problem IMO is completely different and somewhere along the line, it would appear, fraud has been committed.

I'm not really sure what you would like us to tell the BBC etc OP
 
I think whilst its in the spotlight attention should be drawn to what a longstanding joke the passport system is. And, I'd like attention drawn to the fact imported horse meat hasn't necessarily been raised & slaughtered humanly, & the disgusting treatment of horses exported live. I would happily campaign to promote a horsemeat industry in this country, at least there'd be a chance of decent welfare standards. I wouldn't eat it myself, but if others want to, I don't see its any different to other animals.
 
I don't see the point of that op. The only thing worth focusing on is what a farce the passport system is and that medication is getting into the meat as shown by the latest tests.

To be honest I think the idea of eating horse does no harm being promoted. It would hopefully mean that a better passporting system and slaughter would be in place than is currently.
 
I simply don't like being lied to. If I wanted to eat horse, I would buy horse. I do not want to eat horse, so I don't want to be buying it unknowingly.

Reminds me of Sweeney Todd, honestly.
 
If its well cared for and slaughtered humanely then its ok to eat but the whole problem is the deception. All of these different agencies etc and they cant work out what is a horse and what is a cow?

But I realise what you are getting at. I think the passport is now being proved as we all knew to be a load of rubbish. But its the regulatory bodies and suppliers that need to be punished ££££ thats all that will work.
 
The other thing that annoys me, is that all our abbatoirs were closed down for hygiene reasons because it was too difficult for them to comply with EU regulations but no-one seems to care about hygiene in mainland Europe.
 
Certainly the deception isn't great, for me personally it's also about how can they have any idea at all whether it's fit for human consumption.

If they have no records of what species it is, which country it's come from etc. how can they be so confident in their assurance that it is safe to eat. Yes - horse per say is safe to eat but I'm amazed anyone can have any idea whether these horses in particular are 'safe' and haven't been fed any of the long list of steriods, antibiotics etc along with bute that would (in controlled situations) prevent them from entering the food chain).
 
PandorasJar said:
^ they have been. Tests have come back showing Bute. Not sure if anything else yet.
Click to expand...

Then I really don't know how they have the gall to keep telling people to eat it ! Unless they know full well we've been eating it for years and years and people haven't been made ill by it yet to what the h@ll just let them keep eating it.

If I had any frozen spag bol I don't even think I'd risk feeding it to our dogs and they eat ANYTHING!
 
If I'd bought any of it, it would have been straight in the bin. Didn't realise they were saying to keep eating it. Should be pulled and disposed of immediately!
 
Well, cattle, sheep. etc. are also routinely given antibiotics, etc., the main difference being that these medications are (or should be) noted and a withdrawal period observed. The ONLY meat that is absolutely clean is certified organic meat. I understand that the amounts or bute found are minute and in only one sample, all others so far have been clear. I do think that the media are being a tad hysterical, in all liklehood people have been eating some horsemeat for years - where are the hordes of sick people? For that matter, where are all the people affected by the mad cow contaminated meat? Wern't they supposed to be showing up over the past few years? Nope, no sign of them either.
 
I'll stick to meat I know is properly monitored. The only injections our meat got the last couple of years was bluetongue. Don't have any problem with meat with proper withdrawel periods as with milk.
Whether it will kill us or not is beside the point. People should be able to choose what they consume in the basis that it has been properly tested.

I have the same opinion of anything I'm consuming inluding water (monitor what's in it as part of my job) and quite often cringe at what we are consuming. I know exactly what is in there and will drink it, but wouldn't want to do it blind.
 
Just like to point out there was a v sensible discussion on my BBC local radio station about how ineffective the passport system is with the presenter actually looking at a poorly filled in horse passport while talking it through with an equine vet.
 
As others have said, and certainly the concensus through my FB friends is that it isn't the issue it was horse meat, it's the fact it was being used as a substitute for another meat, and as such means it hasn't been regulated for drugs etc.

Personally I think it highlights the need to review the slaughter of horses in the UK. And ultimately we only have ourselves to blame for wanting cheap meat based products that are very easily accessible, corners will be cut in order to keep up with the demand.
 
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